Fuel control for engines



May 27, 1941. A. w; DE voE lai-Ar. l 2,243,594

FUEL cNTRoL FOR vENGINES .Maatsch H't'tmrinlg May 27, 1941. A. w. DE vQE Erm. 2,243,594

FUEL CONTROL FDR ENGINES InvEn-EDTS and FIM/.D E VDE W.M.M|:|E1"5 ch FmtnrnEg-f.

Patented May 27, 1941 UNITE STTES PTET @FHS FUEL CGNTROL FOR ENGINES Ailen W. De Voc, Fond du Lac, and Wilbur M. Mcersch, Malone, Wis.

Applicaticn April 13, 1944), Serial No. 329,464

10 Claims. (Cl. 1234127) This invention appertains to internal combustion engines, and more particularly to tractors and other vehicles powered by engines using a light, highly volatile fuel for starting purposes, and a heavy or fuel oil for continuous operating purposes.

In tractors using gasoline for starting and warming up the engine, and kerosene or other heavy fuel oil for continuous operation, the operator shifts manually from gasoline to the heavy fuel when he considers the engine sufficiently warm to operate effectively on heavy fuel. If the shift takes place before the engine is suinciently hot, the heavy fuel floods the carburetor. For this reason, or through pure carelessness, the operator often lets the engine run until the small supply of gasoline is completely exhausted before he shifts to the heavy fuel. This not only results in the unnecessary use of the costly fuel, but should the tractor be stopped in the eld for any reason and an effort be made to again start the engine when cold, then the operator must take time to return to the source of fuel supply to replenish the small tank for gasoline on the tractor.

Therefore, one of the primary objects of our invention is to provide an engine having means for automatically shifting from the light, highly volatile fuel to the heavy fuel after the engine has reached a certain desired temperature, without any attention on the part of the operator, whereby to insure the effective and economical operation of the tractor, and without undue waste of time.

Another salient object of our invention is to provide a valve having neutral position for cutting oif the supply of fuel from the carburetor entirely, and a light fuel position for permitting. the supplying of gasoline to the carburetor, and a heavy fuel position for supplying kerosene or other heavy fuel oil to the engine, with manual means for shifting the valve to a neutral posi-tion and to the gasoline supply position, and automatic means for moving the valve to the heavy fuel supply position when the engine reaches a predetermined temperature.

A further importantY object of our invention is the provision of spring means for normally urging the valve from its gasoline-supplying position to the heavy fuel oil-supplying position, with a releasable thermostat-operated trip for normally holding the valve in its gasoline-supplying position against the tension of the spring until the thermostat is heated from the engine to a predetermined temperature.

A further object of our invention is to provide novel means for arranging the trip, whereby all unnecessary strains on the thermostat element will be eliminated, so that said element will operate effectively and instantly under changes of temperature.

A still further object of our invention is to provide means for arranging the control valve for the fuel directly at the carburetor, whereby the collection of heavy fuel oil in advance of the valve is eliminated, so that the flooding of the carburetor by the heavy fuel is prevented when the quick starting of a cold engine by the use of gasoline alone is desired.

A still kfurther important object of our invention is 4to provide an improved device for the above purpose, which will be of an exceptionally simple and durable character, and one which can be placed upon the market and incorporated with the engine of a vehicle at an exceedingly low cost, and without the use of highly skilled labor.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specically described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, side, elevational v.vievv of a tractor, showing our novel device incorporated with the power plant thereof.

Figure 2 is an enlarged, detail, fragmentary, side, elevational view showing the control valve utilized in our appliance.

Figure 3 is a vertical the valve.

Figure 4 is an enlarged, detail, fragmentary, side, elevational view illustrating the thermostat for actuating the trip.

Figure 5 is a detail, sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows, illustrating the thermostatically operated trip.

Figure 6 is a detail, sectional View through the trip, taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is a similar View taken on the line 'l-'l of Figure 5, looking in the Idirection of the arrows and showing the heat-sensitive element.

Figure 8 is an enlarged, detail, side, elevational view showing one form of manual shift lever for the valve.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the

sectional view through letter A generally indicates our novel appliance for controlling the supply of fuel to the power plant P of a vehicle, such as a tractor T.

Obviously, the power plant P can be of any preferred make or size of internal combustion engine, and the vehicle can also be of any preferred character, size, or type. For the purpose of illustration, we have shown the tractor T, and the same includes a relatively large tank I for the heavy fuel oil, such as kerosene, and a small tank II for a light, highly volatile fuel, such as gasoline.

The power plant P includes the .usual engine block I2 having an intake manifold I3 and an exhaust manifold I4. These manifolds I3 and I4 can be covered by a shield I5. A carburetor I6 is employed for delivering a fuel mixture to the intake manifold I3. Fuel-conducting pipes I1 and I8 lead, respectively, from the tanks ID and II to intake ports I9 and 20 of the control valve 2I. The outlet port 22 of the valve communicates with the carburetor I5, and in accordance with our invention, the valve 2l is either incorporated directly in the carburetor as a component part thereof or opens directly into the carburetor without the use of conducting tubes, so that the valve will be directly at the carburetor. This is highly important and forms a distinctive feature of our invention, as by this arrangement, we eliminate-pipes between the valve and the carburetor in which the heavy fuel oil might collect after the stopping of the engine.

Obviously, if heavy fuel oil collects in quantity between the valve and carburetor, upon the initial starting of the engine on gasoline this collected heavy fuel will rush into the carburetor and flood the same, thus preventing the effective starting of the engine.

The valve 2I includes the valve casing 23 having the ports I9, 20, and 22 therein, previously mentioned, and this casing rotatably supports the valve plug or body 24, This plug is provided with right-angularly disposed ways 25, 25, and 21. When the ways 25 and 21 register, respectively, with the ports I9 and 22 of the valve casing, the heavy fuel oil will be supplied to the carburetor, and when the passageways 21 and 26 register with the ports 2i] and 22 (as shown in Figure 3), then gasoline will be supplied to the carburetor. When the valve plug is moved between the mentioned positions, then the -ports 20 and I9 will be cut off, and no fuel will be supplied to the carburetor.

The valve plug has rigidly connected therewith for turning the same, an operating crank 28, and turning movement of the crank is limited by stops 29 and 33 formed on the valve casing 23 and arranged in the path of movement of an arm 3I formed on the lever 28.

Pivotally connected to the lever 28, as at 32, is an operating rod 33, and this rod extends to a suitable handle or other operating mechanism. For the purpose of illustration, we have shown the rod 33 operatively connected to the lower end of va hand lever 34, and this hand lever is rockably mounted intermediate its ends on a pivot pin 35 to a quadrant or other suitable bracket 36 rigidly secured to the tractor or other automotive vehicle.

The bracket 36 has stops 31 and 38 thereon arranged in the path of the hand lever, and these stops correspond to the stops 29 and 30 on the valve casing. The bracket 35 can be suitably marked to indicate the position of the hand lever when the same is in its 01T position, when the same is in its position for supplying heavy fuel,

Cil

and when the same is in its third position for supplying light, highly volatile fuel, such as gasoline.

Any desired means can be provided for releasably holding the hand lever 34 in its neutral off" position, and for the purpose of illustration, we have shown the bracket of the quadrant 36 provided with a notch 39 into which is adapted to swing a latch 49.

The operating means shown is only for the purpose of illustrating one means for actuating the rod 33, and, obviously, other types of means can be employed without departing from the spirit or scope of our invention.

A relatively heavy tension spring 4I is secured to the rod 33 and to the shield I5, and this spring 4I normally functions to pull the rod 33 to the right (see Figure l), and the arm 3I of the valve crank against the stop 29, and the hand lever 34 against the stop 31. This will move and hold the valve to a position with the pasageways 25 and 21 in registration with the ports I9 and 22 for continuously supplying the heavy fuel, such as kerosene, from the tank I8 to the carburetor.

In accordance with our invention, the rod 33 has formed thereon a depending trip tooth 42, and this tooth is adapted to engage a shoulder 43 formed in the rotatable shaft 44 of the control thermostat 45.

The control thermostat 45 includes a casing 46 having an outer section 41 and an inner section 48. The control thermostat extends through an opening in the shoulder I5, and the outer section 41 of the casing is firmly secured to the shield by angle brackets 49. The heat-sensitive element 50 of the thermostat Ican be in the nature of a spiral spring, and one end of the same is firmly anchored to the shaft 44, and the other end thereof is firmly anchored to the casing section 48. The casing section 48 can be turned manually to the desired position for giving the proper tension to the spring 50 for holding a stop finger 5I on the shaft 44 against a rigid stop 52 on the casing. When the casing section 48 has beenl turned to tension the element 58 as desired, the casing section 48 is then fastened to the casing section 41 against further movement by the use of set screws 53.

In operation of our attachment, the hand lever 34 is manually moved against the stop 38, which y will swing the crank 28 of the valve to the left (see Figures 1 and 2) and the arm 3I thereof against the stop 39. This will connect the passageways 21 and 26 with the ports 20 and 22, and gasoline will be supplied from the tank I I to the carburetor, and the engine can be started and warmed up on gasoline. When the hand lever 34 and the crank are swung to the position just described, the spring 4I is placed under tension and normally tends to pull the hand lever 34 against the stop 31, and the valve crank 28 to the right, withY the arm 3I against the stop 29 for supplying kerosene or other heavy fuel oil to the carburetor. This movement, however, is resisted by the tooth 42 engaging against the shoulder 43 of the shaft 44 of the control element. However, as the engine warms up and the same reaches a predetermined temperature, the heatsensitive element 50 will be affected, and the element will turn the shaft 44 in a clockwise direction (see Figures 6 and 1), which will push up on the tooth 42 and the rod 33, and the tooth will then ride away from the shoulder, which will allow the spring 4I to pull the rod 33 to the right, and the hand lever against the stop 31,

and the arm 3l against the stop 23. This will connect the passageways 25 and 21 with the ports I9 and 22, and kerosene will then be continuously supplied to the carburetor.

When it is desired to stop the engine, then the hand lever 34 is moved to the notch 38 and to the position marked olf and, if preferred, the lever can be latched in this position against movement. When it is again necessary to start the engine, the hand lever 34 is again moved against the stop 38, and the spring 4| will again be tensioned, and the tooth 42 will again engage the shoulder 43 on the shaft 44.

Particular attention is now directed to the manner in which the tooth 42 engages the shoulder 43 and to the arrangement of the parts 42 and 43 relative to one another. The pull of the rod `33 against the shaft 44 is at the axial center of said shaft, and, hence, the rod 33 does not tend to rotate the shaft or to resist the turning movement of the shaft. Therefore, the shaft is free to rotate under influence of the element Fl of the thermostat.

Varous changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of our invention, but what we claim as new is:

1. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a carburetor, a tank for heavy liquid fuel, a tank for light, highly volatile liquid fuel, a single valve for controlling the flow of the fuel to the carburetor, manual means for operating the valve to a position for supplying the carburetor with the light, highly volatile fuel, and means including a thermostat for automatically moving the valve to a position for supplying the carburetor with heavy fuel oil when the engine reaches a predetermined temperature. 2. 'Ihe combination with an internal combustion engine having a carburetor, a tank for heavy liquid fuel, a tank for light, highly volatile liquid fuel, a single valve for controlling the flow of the fuel to the carburetor, manual means for operating the valve to a position for supplying the carburetor with the light, highly volatile fuel, and means including a thermostat for automatically moving the valve to a position for supplying the carburetor with heavy fuel oil when the engine reaches a predetermined temperature, said valve being incorporated directly with the carburetor, whereby to eliminate the use of fuel collecting pipes between the valve and carburetor.

3. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a carburetor, a relatively large tank for heavy fuel, a relatively small tank for light fuel, means under control of a thermostat for normally supplying the carburetor with heavy fuel from the large tank when the engine reaches a predetermined temperature, and means for manually setting the valve to a position for feeding fuel to the carburetor from the small tank upon the initial starting and warming up of the engine.

4. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a carburetor, a relatively large tank for receiving heavy fuel, a relatively small tank for receiving light fuel, a single valve for controlling the independent flow of the fuel from the large tank to the carburetor, and the fuel from the small tank to the carburetor, manual means for actuating the valve whereby the same can be set to a position for supplying fuel from the small tank to the carburetor, so

that the engine can be started and .warmed up on light fuel, spring means normally urging the valve to `a position for supplying fuel from the` large tank to the carburetor, a trip for normally preventingmovement of the valve under influence of the spring, and means affected bythe heat of the engine for releasing the trip.

5. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a carburetor, a relatively large tank for receiving heavy fuel, a relatively small tank for receiving light fuel, a single valve for controlling the independent supply of fuel from the large tank to the carburetor, and the independent supply of fuel from the small tank to the carburetor, including a crank, an operating rod pivotally connected to the crank, manual means for actuating the rod, spring means normally urging the crank and the valve to a position for supplying fuel from the large tank to the carburetor, a toothron the rod, and a trip arranged in the path of the tooth for normally holding the rod and the valve against operation under influence of the spring, and a Iheat-sensitive element for actuating the trip to release the tooth when the engine reaches a predetermined temperature.

6. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a carburetor, a relatively large tank for receiving heavy fuel, a relatively small tank for receiving light fuel, a single valve for controlling the independent supply of fuel from the large tank to the carburetor, and the independent supply of fuel from the small tank to the carburetor, including a crank, an operating rod pivotally connected to the crank, manual means for actuating the rod, spring means normally urging the crank and the valve to a position for supplying fuel from the large tank to the carburetor, a tooth on the rod, and a trip arranged in the path of the tooth for normally holding the rod and the valve against operation under influence of the spring, and a heat-sensitive element for actuating the trip to release the tooth when the engine reaches a predetermined temperature, said trip including a rotatable shaft having a shoulder engaging the tooth, and a heat-sensitive element for turning the shaft. 7. The combination with an internal combustion engine including a carburetor, a relatively large tank for heavy fuel, a relatively small tank for light fuel, a rotatable valve including a valve plug and a crank for controlling the independent supply of fuel from the large tank to the carburetor, and the independent supply of fuel from the small tank to the carburetor, a rod operatively connected to the crank, manual means for operating the rod, a thermostat operatively disposed relative to the engine including, a rotatable shaft and a heat-sensitive element for turning the shaft, said shaft having a shoulder, spring means normally tending to move the valve to a position for supplying fuel from the large tank to the carburetor, and a tooth normally engaging the shoulder for preventing operaton of the valve under influence of the spring.

8. The combination with an internal combustion engine including a carburetor, a relatively large tank for heavy fuel, a relatively small tank for light fuel, a valve including a plug and a crank for independently controlling the flow of fuel from the large and small tanks to the carburetor, a rod operatively connected to the crank, manual means for actuating the rod,

a thermostat control member including a sectional casing having one section anchored to a part of the engine, a shaft, a spiral heat-sensitive element having one end anchored to the shaft and the other end anchored to the other section of the casing, said last-mentioned section of the casing being rotatable relative to the first-mentioned section of the casing for tensioning the heat-sensitive element, means securing the sections of the casing together in an adjusted position, means for limiting the turning movement of the shaft in one direction, said shaft having a shoulder, spring means normally urging the valve to a position for supplying fuel from the large tank to the carburetor, and a tooth on the rod normally engaging the shoulder on the shaft for preventing movement of the valve under influence of said spring, the shoulder being movable to release the tooth upon rotation of the shaft.

9. The combination with an internal combustion engine including a carburetor, a relatively large tank for heavy fuel, a relatively small tank for light fuel, a 'valve including a plug and a crank for independently controlling the flow of fuel from the large and. small tanks to the carburetor, a rod operatively connected to the crank, manual means for actuating the rod, a thermostat control member including a sectional casing having one section anchored to a part of the engine, a shaft, a spiral heat-sensitive element having one end anchored to the shaft and the other end anchored to the other section of the casing, said last-mentioned section of the casing being rotatable relative to the first-mentioned section of the casing for tensioning the heat-sensitive element, means securing the sections of the casing together in an adjusted position, means, for limiting .the turning movement of the shaft in one direction, said shaft having a shoulder, spring means normally urging the valve to a position for supplying fuel from the large tank to the carburetor, and a tooth on the rod normally engaging the shoulder on the shaft for preventing movement of the valve under influence of said spring, the shoulder being movable to release the tooth upon rotation of the shaft, the shoulder and tooth being arranged substantially at the axial center of the shaft, whereby rotative pull by the rod on the shaft Will be reduced to a Ininimum.

l0. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a carburetor. a tank for heavy liquid fuel, a tank for light, highly volatile liquid fuel, a single valve for controlling the flow of the fuel to the carburetor, manual means for operating the valve to a position for supplying the carburetor with the light, highly volatile fuel, and means including a thermostat for automatically moving the valve to a position for supplying the carburetor with heavy fuel oil when the engine reaches a predetermined temperature, said single valve being directly at the carburetor whereby the collection of liquid fuel between the valve and the carburetor will be prevented.

- WILBUR M. MOERSCH.

ALLEN W. DE VOE. 

